Valve



E. M MAY Jan. 5, 1937. 6

VALVE Filed May 51, 1954 l INVENTOR. MMM? M Maly. BY

Patented Jan. 5, 1937V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVE Edward M. May, Birmingham, Mich., assigner,` by mesne assignments, of one-half to Borg- Warner Corporation, `a corporation of Illinois Application May 31, 1934, Serial No. 728,242

3 Claims.

'Ihisinvention relates to refrigeratlng apparatus in general and in particular to improvements in evaporatory construction.

As used in refrigerating systems, evaporators of the ilooded type are provided with floatcontrolledvalves for controlling the admission of liquid refrigerant to the. evaporating chamber where the refrigerant boils 01T as a vapor which is returned through a suitable conduit to a compressor which compresses the refrigerant gas or vapor. After` leaving the compressor, the refrigerant gas under pressure passes thro-ugh a condenserv where it is condensed into a liquid and"y piped to the evaporator to which it is admitted underthecontrol of the float-controlled valve.

"Thisinvention more specifically relates to a valve assembly for an' evaporator yand contemplates the provision of a Valve assembly for an evaporator* in which the needle valve which controls the admission of refrigerant to the evaporator is assembled as apart of a unit which readily-may be removed from and replaced in an evaporatorin which the float mechanism may be sealed in. In the form selected for the purpose of illustrating the invention, an end wall of the evaporatori'is` provided with suitable openings through which liquid refrigerant may be introduced-into the evaporator and gaseous refrigeraiitmay be `removed therefrom. A valve assembly unit, which is capable of being partially introduced within the evaporator through one of said openings to enable the float mechanism to operate the needlevalve,r is secured to the evaporator byv a body member with which the refrigerant conduits are connected and which affords communication between the same and the evaporator-by means of coincidental openings in the]` end wall of the evaporator and in the valve `assembly unit. An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a valve assembly unit for an evaporator which may Vreadily be installed and removed therefrom... l

AnotherV object of the invention is to provide la, valve: assembly which may be removed from the. evaporator WithoutV removing the float mech,- anism which controls the operation of saidrvalve.

Another object of the invention is to provide an assembly for an evaporator which carries the needle valve and which is separable from the float mechanism and from the conduits leading to: the` compressor and. to the condenser.

Anotherobject of the invention is tl provide an improved needle valve construction for an evaporator;

Another object of the invention is to provide an evaporator construction which is relatively simple manufacture, easy to assemble and particularly adaptable for servicing.

Other objects and advantages Will appear from the following specification, with reference to the accompanying drawing of which there is one sheet and in which:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an evaporator assembly embracing my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through the needle valve assembly unit and illustrating certain details of the invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the needle valveassembly and taken in a'plane on, the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.;

Fig. 4 is an exploded view of the needle valve assembly;

Fig.` 5` is a view taken in a plane on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of a refrigerating system.. with which evaporators embracing my invention may be used.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawing, at I0 thereis shown acylindrical tank of sheet metal, alording an evaporating chamber and to which liquid refrigerant is supplied from a condensing unit` 94 (Fig 6) through a conduit I2 which is in communication with a valve-controlled passageway I4 leading to the interior of the evaporating chamber. One end of the evaporating chamber Hl' is closedby a wall I B, which is suitably secured to the mouth'of the container IU for sealing the same, and which wall is provided within the chamber with a pair of spaced lugs I 8. which afford a support for aA oat control indicated generally at 20.

The oat control 20 comprises a hollow body 22 adapted to floatv in the liquid refrigerant within the evaporating chamber I0 and fixedly secured to a U-shaped bracket 24, the arms 26 of which at the open end of the bracketl are pivotally secured to the lugs I8 such as by a pin 2.3- The float body 22 thus will be pivoted about the pins 28 by changes in the level of the liquid refrigerant within the evaporating chamber IIJ.

A plate 3D- provided with a pair of spaced ears Y32 at` one end thereof is pivotally secured therebyto said pins 28 carried by the lugs I8 and is further provided' With a second pair of ears 3A spaced' from the ears 32 and which provide a support fora transverse pin 36 which is moved Lil) vertically when the plate 30 is moved about the pivot pins 28. The free end of the plate 30 underlies a portion 38 of the bracket 24 and is biased into engagement with the same by a spring 40 secured at one end to an arm 42 of the bracket 24 and at the other end to lug 44 formed on the plate 30. The plate 30 is pivoted vertically about the pivot pin 28 by the float body 22 since the spring 40 connects the plate 30 to the iloat body 22. The spring 40, however, is adapted to permit the float body 22 to move upwardly without moving the plate 30 if the same should be held against movement.

In assembly, the oat body 22, the bracketl 24 and the plate 3l) are secured in position and to the lugs I8 before the end wall I6 is secured to the sheet metal container I0, so that when the end wall is secured in place, the float mechanlsm 28 is sealed within the evaporating chamber. 'Ihe wall I6 of the evaporating chamber I0 is providedwith an opening 46 and with a second opening of smaller cross sectional area 48 into the latter of which a short section of tube 50 is secured, lthe upper end of which extends wthin the evaporating chamber and is positioned at a high level therein, considerably above any level to which the liquid refrigerant may rise within the evaporating chamber, to provide an opening through which the gaseous refrigerant may be withdrawn from the evaporating chamber I0.

A needle valve assembly 52 is adapted to be inserted within the opening 46 and comprises a body member 54 provided with spaced-apart lugs 56 at one end thereof and with a head flange 58 at the opposite end thereof, the head flange 58 being disposed on the outside of the wall I6 and preventing the passage of the body 52 completely through the opening 46. The body member 52 is provided with a passageway 60 from one end to the other thereof and in which passageway a valve insert 62 is disposed. A passageway extends through the valve insert 62 and around which at one end thereof the same is adapted to provide a seat for a slidable valve member 64 having a cone-shaped head 66 which is adapted to enter the passageway through the valve insert 62 and to effect a seal between the valve insert 62 and the cone-shaped head 66 of the valve member for closing the passageway 60 to the fiow of liquid refrigerant therethrough.

The head flange 58 of the valve body 52 is provided with an opening 68 which, when the valve body 521s in position, is in alignment with the end of passageway 48 through which the gaseous refrigerant is discharged from the evaporating chamber. On each side of the passageway 60, the head flange 58 is provided with suitable openings through which stud bolts are passed for securing the valve body 52 in position. The lugs 56 provided on the valve body member 52 are provided with a transverse pin 'I0 to which is pivotally secured the bifurcated end 'I2 of a lever 14, the opposite end of which lever is provided with a slotted opening 'I6 which is adapted to receive the transverse pin 36 carried by the plate 30. The lever 'I4 will be pivoted about the pin 'I0 by vertical movement of the float body 22 which, through the bracket 24, plate 30 and pin 36, communicates such motion to the lever 14. The bifurcated end 12 of the lever 'I4 has afliXed to it a transverse pin 1,8 which extends through an opening in the end of the valve member 64 so that vertical movement of the lever 'I4 about its pivot 'I0 is adapted to move the cone-shaped head 66 of the valve member into engagement with the seat provided by the valve insert 62. While the valve member 64 will slide within the passageway 6D, it will be observed that the valve member 64 is not centered to move along its axis as the coneshaped head 66 is adapted to ride on the edge of the valve insert 62 and the end of the valve member at the pivot end thereof will travel in an arcuate path on account of the movement of lever 'I4 about its pivot lll. l

In the position in which the parts are shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, the valve member 64 is in position to close the passageway 60 against the flow of liquid refrigerant into the evaporating chamber and the oat body 22 will be suspended in the liquid refrigerant within the evaporating chamber. Recession of the level of the liquid refrigerant will move the float body 22 downwardly, as a result of which the valve member 64 will be moved to open the passageway 60 to the flow of liquid refrigerant. The valve assembly 52 is insertable in position and removable therefrom without the necessity of opening the evaporating chamber I0 other than uncovering the opening 46 which is effected by removing the valve assembly 52 through the same.

A valve assembly header 80, to which the liquid refrigerant supply conduit I2 and a gaseous refrigerant conduit 82 are permanently connected, is provided with passageways or ducts I4 and 84, which afford communication between such conduits and the passageways 6U and 68, respectively. The header 8D is provided with a plurality of openings 86 through which stud bolts such as 88 are passed, which also pass through the openings provided in the head flange 58 of the valve body 52 and are threaded into suitable threaded openings provided in the end wall I6 of the evaporating chamber for securing the valve assembly 52 in position and putting the valve chamber into communication with the compressor and the condenser. When it is desired to remove the valve assembly 52 such as for service, it is necessary only to remove the stud bolts 88 whereby the header may be removed and the valve assembly 52 may be withdrawn from the evaporating chamber. For this reason the conduits I2 and 82 may, if desired, be permanently secured to the header 80. Suitable gaskets 90 may be disposed between the header 8D, the head flangev 58 of the valve body assembly and the end wall I6 of the evaporating chamber I0, to insure a good seal between the same.

In Fig. 6 there is disclosed a more or less diagrammatic representation of a refrigerating system including a rotary compressor 92, an electric motor 93 for operating the same, a condenser 94 for receiving the refrigerant after the same is discharged from the compressor 92, and a receiver 95, from whence supply conduit I2 leads to the evaporator I0.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features of the structure disclosed, but is to be considered broadly as is represented by the scope of the appended claims:

I claim:

1. In an evaporator, a closed container providing an evaporating chamber and having an aperture in a wall thereof, a valve assembly for controlling the supply of liquid refrigerant to said chamber and comprising a body member disposed within said opening and extending within said chamber, 1an integral head flange for said body member located forwardly of said Wall for limiting the depth to which .said member may be inserted intov said chamber, a passageway eX- tending through said valve body and provided with a Valve seat, a lever pivotally mounted on said valve body Y and provided with a portion whereby the same may be detachably connected to a oat mechanism secured within said chamber independently of said body member, a pin pivotally connectedat one end thereof to said lever and provided with a conical shaped head at the other end thereof, said head affording a valve member cooperable with said seat for controlling the flow of uid through said passageway, the conical shaped head of said pin being slidable on said valve seat and the other end of said pin being movable in'an arcuate path by said lever, a retaining member for holding the head flange of said body member against said wall, and means passing through aligned openings inV said head flange and said retaining member and engageable with a portion of said wall for securing said retaining member and valve body member in position. f

2. In an evaporator, a valve assembly freely insertable and removable through an opening in a wall of the evaporating chamber and comprising an elongated body member having a passageway therethrough and a smooth external surface, a valve seat within said passageway, a valve member cooperableA with said seat for controlling the flow of liquid through said passageway, a lever pivotally connected to said body member and to said valve for moving the same and having a portion detachably engageable with a member movable responsive to variations of the level of the liquid refrigerant within said chamber and secured therein independently of said body member, a flange on said body member larger than the opening in said wall and adapted to be disposed exteriorly of the wall of said chamber, a retaining member for holding the flange of said body member against the exterior surface of said wall, and means passing through aligned openings in said flange and said retaining member and secured to a portion of said wall for securing said assembly in operative positionwithin said chamber.

3. In a refrigerating system having an evaporating unit with a condensing unit adapted for supplying liquid'refrigerant thereto, a metering mechanism for said evaporating unit for controlling the supply of refrigerant from said condensing unit to said evaporating unit, said metering mechanism comprising a body having a smooth exterior surface adapted to project through an opening formed in said evaporating unit and to be removably secured therein, said metering mechanism having an operating arm provided with a slot, a float mechanism secured within said .evaporating unit independently of said metering mechanism for controlling the operation thereof, means associated with said float mechanism for engaging said slot formed in said metering mechanism arm whereby said metering mechanism may be operated by said oat mechanism and whereby said metering mechanism can be removed from said evaporating unit, and means for securing said metering mechanism to said evaporating unit comprising a retaining member for holding a portion of said body against a wall of said unit, and means passing through aligned openings in said retaining member and a portion of said body and engaging a portion of a wall of said unit for securing said retaining member and body inoperative position.

EDWARD M. MAY. 

